The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's national transport safety investigator. The ATSB's function is to improve safety and public confidence in the aviation, marine and rail modes of transport. The ATSB is Australia's prime agency for the independent investigation of civil aviation, rail and maritime accidents, incidents and safety deficiencies.

Marine safety investigations & reports

Collision between Eternal Wind and fv Melina T

On the morning of 5 April 1998, the fishing vessel Melina
T was proceeding on a westerly course at full speed, about 7
knots, headed back to its base at Mooloolaba. One of the deckhands
was on watch in the wheelhouse and the steering was in the
automatic mode.

The Panamanian bulk carrier Eternal Wind was proceeding
due north at 13 knots, on passage from Port Kembla to Niihama,
Japan, with a cargo of coal. At 0800, the 3rd Mate took over the
watch from the Mate, who had instructed the AB watchkeeper to take
temperature and atmosphere readings of the cargo hold. The wind was
from the south-east at force 5, which was generating a moderate to
rough sea on a low swell, and the visibility was good.

At 0815, the two vessels collided, the bow planks of the fishing
vessel being sprung by the impact, causing the fishing vessel to
flood. Eternal Wind turned about to stand by Melina
T, and took the four-man crew aboard when they had to abandon
their vessel.

Melina T sank at 1027 and Eternal Wind
diverted from its passage to land the four fishermen off Point
Cartwright, where the men were disembarked to a water police
launch. Eternal Wind then continued on its voyage to
Japan.

The Master, officers and crew of Eternal Wind were
interviewed when the vessel loaded at Hay point, Queensland on the
subsequent voyage.

Conclusions

These conclusions identify the different factors contributing to
the incident and should not be read as apportioning blame or
liability to any particular organisation or individual.

The lookout being kept aboard Eternal Wind was
ineffective in that Melina T was not seen in sufficient
time to prevent collision.

The watch officer aboard Eternal Wind ceased to keep a
lookout when he set about checking the error on the compass.

The 8-12 seaman watchkeeper aboard Eternal Wind had
been assigned duties on the main deck and was not available to keep
a lookout while the watch-officer was engaged in other navigational
duties.

The officers aboard Eternal Wind placed an
over-reliance on radar for lookout purposes in open waters.

The lookout being kept aboard Melina T was ineffective
in that Eternal Wind was not seen until it had closed to
two miles distance and a watch on the vessel was not then
maintained to ascertain whether risk of collision existed.

The Skipper of Melina T had not reacquainted the
relief deckhand with his standing instructions that he was to be
told whenever another vessel was sighted.

It is further considered that the positioning of the nails
securing the hull planking to the athwartship bulkhead, being close
to the engine room side of the bulkhead, prevented effective
plugging of the gaps and contributed to the foundering of
Melina T.